Originally Posted by
UA_Flyer
I was wondering why airlines won't make upgrading to saver C award more flexible at the gate when seats are going out empty.
For the same reason you can't upgrade on an S fare. United wants you to buy a more expensive ticket. This is true whether the currency is dollars or miles. Had you bought a standard C award, your family would have been in C. You buy a saver C, and you're in C if there is space. You buy a saver Y, and it's not upgradable. Just like an S.